Listen Up – MamasOnCallhttp://mamasoncall.com
A place where two professional mamas—one a pediatrician, one a family therapist—serve up timely, reliable parenting advice with humor and compassion.Wed, 01 Nov 2017 15:59:52 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.5The Five Second Rule: True Or False?http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/the-five-second-rule-true-or-false/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/the-five-second-rule-true-or-false/#respondTue, 24 Oct 2017 08:00:31 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=12353A study conducted at Clemson University found that the five second rule, although dear to all of our hearts, is simply not true.

This study proved that food that lands on the floor or tabletop picks up germs even if it is retrieved in under five seconds. Viruses and bacteria grab on the minute they make contact. They do not wait around for five seconds before hopping aboard.

DRAT! And the longer that cookie or cracker sits there, the more bacteria will grow on it. Microbes, as we know, are invisible to the naked eye. So even though your floor may look pristine, it can be teeming with e.coli and other foul, icky stuff that has been tracked in from our shoes or fallen from above.

Some of them will do us no harm but others can make us (and our children) quite sick. So, unless you are willing to risk serious illness from some nasty virus or bacteria, you’re just going to have to toss it. You might decide to ignore this bit of information, but if worse comes to worse, you can’t say we didn’t tell you!

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/the-five-second-rule-true-or-false/feed/0Mind the Science Gaphttp://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/mind-the-science-gap/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/mind-the-science-gap/#respondTue, 24 Oct 2017 08:00:24 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=30845An age-old gender mystery: Why do so many more boys and young men gravitate towards careers in science than girls and young women?

Are their brains wired differently?

Do we raise them to think differently?

Do we teach girls to fear math and the hard sciences?

Does the culture somehow steer our daughters towards literature and the social sciences?

In 2005, Larry Summers, then president of Harvard University, made a controversial comment about the female aptitude for science (or lack thereof) that made feminists wild and drove parents everywhere to sign their daughters up for summer science enrichment classes. While it didn’t wreck his career (he later became a powerful White House economics advisor), it did get him relieved of his job at Harvard. Apparently, it’s unseemly for an educator at the head of the most prestigious university in the nation to insult more than half his students (the undergraduate population at Harvard is 51% female).

Since that time, researchers and academics have struggled to figure out why, when women have excelled and outpaced their male counterparts in so many areas of education, they continue to be under-represented in high level science positions. New research soon to be published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development may hint at an explanation.

A science and math skills test was given to 15-year-old subjects around the world — in the United States, Britain, Canada, Russia, Asia and the Middle East. What they found was fascinating: girls generally outperform boys in science — but not in the United States, Canada or Britain.

In these western countries, boys tend to gravitate towards careers in science, technology and engineering, and they perform better on the exam. Russia, Asia and the Middle East have a much higher proportion of women going into science, and girls score almost 10 percent better on the test than boys do.

Why? How can this be explained?

Andreas Schleicher, who oversees the tests, says different countries have different attitudes towards learning (and teaching) science and math. In the United States, he said, boys are more likely than girls to “see science as something that affects their life.” Women are less likely to seek science careers, even though they are more than capable of succeeding in them.

Gender roles and career expectations are defined as early as age four, so we may conclude that western cultures are effectively molding these preferences. For girls in the Middle-East, education, science and technology provide a step up in the social structure, Mr. Schleicher says, “It is a critical way to earn social mobility.”

So there it is. Our daughters in the U.S. are absorbing early messages about desirable career paths and gender roles. These messages include veering away from science in a way that limits their options and impacts their future performance. Will we sit on the sidelines and accept this cultural determinism, or will we fight it?

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/mind-the-science-gap/feed/0Should Parents Let Kids Drink?http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/should-parents-let-kids-drink/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/should-parents-let-kids-drink/#respondTue, 24 Oct 2017 08:00:00 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=21583You may be very surprised by what you learn from this short video with Dr. Drew.

In case you’re not convinced that underage drinking poses a threat or need ammo to present to your kids or to the parents of their friends, take a minute to check this out. Knowledge is POWER!!

Pay particular attention to what the good doctor has to say about the “European Model” of drinking. Verrrrrry interesting!

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/10/should-parents-let-kids-drink/feed/0No Meat For Me!http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/no-meat-for-me/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/no-meat-for-me/#commentsThu, 06 Jul 2017 08:00:43 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/mama/?p=247Can you really “go veggie” with young children? Is it safe? How do you make sure they get all the calories, vitamins, and protein that their growing bodies need if you ditch the meat?

It’s an important question because according to the CDC (and our own totally unscientific research) more and more kids are saying “no thanks” to the burgers and ribs and chicken, too. In fact, they estimate that one out of every 200 American kids refuses to eat anything with a face, and many of them are from NON vegetarian families. It’s definitely a growing trend.

But is it healthy? The answer, with qualifications, is yes. If you are a vegetarian yourself you probably know how to mix foods so that you get everything you need. Nutritional requirements are different for growing children though. So if you want to be sure that your child’s diet is safe and balanced, you’ll need to do your homework. Talk to a dietitian or your pediatrician to get the facts.

On the other hand, if your family isn’t vegetarian and your child suddenly announces that he no longer eats meat, then it’s time for a talk before you start cleaning out the refrigerator. You need to make sure that his idea of being “vegetarian” isn’t just a clever excuse to follow a toast, cereal and pasta diet of his own creation.

Kids can be tricky this way and when it comes to healthy eating, color counts. All white is no good. But if after talking, you feel that he is truly serious and is willing to eat a lot of VEGETABLES and non-animal protein to replace the meat, you can certainly support him if you want to.

Vegetarianism can definitely be lived with great results, so if you’re up for it, go for it. It’s certainly nothing new. People all over the world have been living long, healthy lives without the benefit of meat for thousands of years.

Just make sure you monitor your child’s growth with your doctor and watch for the red flags that can point to a nutritional deficiency. For example, if he starts getting lethargic or low on energy, or if the skin around his mouth or eyes is tearing, or his hair, skin or nails aren’t growing or are breaking down, check with the pediatrician.

But if, after a few months, the veggie-child from the non-veggie family changes her mind and decides to go back to meat cut her some slack. Resist the urge to say “I told you so” because trying things out is an important part of growing up. For some good ideas on how to support a vegetarian child, watch this.

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/no-meat-for-me/feed/1Girl Talk Is Good Medicinehttp://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/girl-talk-is-good-medicine/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/girl-talk-is-good-medicine/#commentsThu, 06 Jul 2017 08:00:34 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=4154I’m going to tell you something that you probably already know but may not have fully understood: women need their girlfriends, especially when things are going wrong.

Unlike men, who tend to want to hunker down alone or get out there and file a law suit when things get really stressful, we gals want to get together with other women and talk. We know it helps a lot and now we’ re beginning to understand why it happens that way and why it matters so much.

Recently, scientists at UCLA completed a major, landmark study that looked at women and friendships and found out that there was a definite connection between our relationships with other women and how we handle stress. For many, many years we have been taught that the normal human response to a scary or threatening situation is to gear up to fight or turn on our heels and RUN! You know, fight or flight. Think saber toothed tigers and stuff like that.

BUT … guess what? All those studies (more than 50 years worth) were based almost exclusively on the reactions of MEN to stress. The assumption had been that men and women were the same and would react the same to those gut-churning situations that pop up throughout our lives. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

The new study found that when women are stressed, their brains release a bunch of chemicals including one called oxytocin which buffers the fight/flight response and makes them want to tend young children and gather with other women. The researchers call it “tend and befriend.” When they do that, even more oxytocin is released and they calm down and feel better.

It’s biological! We MUST have our friends close by when life throws us a hard ball. Other studies in the past have explored how friendships make us healthier and help us live longer. And again, we find that if women have a close friend or confidante they can survive even the worst possible events, like the death of a spouse, intact and okay.

So then, what’s wrong with this picture? When the going gets tough, our friendships with women are the first things we sacrifice. Not a good strategy, as we now see.

And since being a mom tops the list of stressful jobs, then it only makes sense for us to do what we must in order to protect our health and well-being. Otherwise, how are we going to be able to take good care of our families?

Enough said? Okay then, go call your buddy and make plans to grab a cup of coffee, make a mommy play-date, go for a walk together or pile the kids in the car and go to COSTCO together. Whatever it takes to carve out some time to keep your girlfriend connections strong, DO IT! And if anyone (like your husband, for example) feels threatened or left out, or gives you a hard time about slipping away for a spell with your homies, have him read more about the study for himself.

Once again, he’ll see the wisdom of your ways.

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/girl-talk-is-good-medicine/feed/1Does My Squirming, Jumping, Always-Moving Pre-Schooler Have ADHD?http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/does-my-squirming-jumping-always-moving-pre-schooler-have-adhd/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/does-my-squirming-jumping-always-moving-pre-schooler-have-adhd/#respondThu, 06 Jul 2017 08:00:20 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=2008Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that affects school age children and is characterized by the presence of AT LEAST six of the following:

* Has difficulty following instructions
* Has difficulty keeping attention on work or play activities
* Loses things needed for activities at school and at home
* Appears not to listen
* Doesn’t pay close attention to details
* Seems disorganized
* Has trouble with tasks that require planning ahead
* Forgets things
* Is easily distracted

These children are often much more active and impulsive than usual for their age, giving them the bad rap of being ‘difficult’ or ‘behavior problems’. It is more common in boys than girls, and is diagnosed in between 4% and 12% of school-age children in the US, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The causes of ADHD are complex and poorly understood, and its diagnosis and treatment are often controversial, but that’s NOT what I’m here to talk about. What I want you to know is that a diagnosis of ADHD is only appropriately considered in children of SCHOOL AGE. We’re not talking about pre-school or kindergarten, we’re talking about elementary school when kids are developmentally expected to sit still and pay attention.

Any talk of ADHD in a child under the age of 6 or 7 just does not jive with their developmental stage. Particularly for boys, whose developmental clock ticks at a different rate than girls’. Pre-schoolers from 3 – 6 are just discovering how their bodies interact with the outside world they’re being introduced to.

Their pliable little brains and neuronal connections are growing by leaps and bounds — so fast you can almost see it happening. What an exciting and energetic place to be! It’s no wonder they may have it rough sitting quietly in ‘Circle Time’. If you do find them sitting still you can bet they’re accompanying their play with engine noises or special effects.

If you watch a 3 or 4 year old involved in even a ‘quiet’ activity, like drawing or imaginative pretend play, you’ll often notice that they’re narrating as they go. They need to share the story and experience the reaction. They learn through the interaction of their small inside world and the big outside world. It’s not time yet to sit still and keep it in.

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/does-my-squirming-jumping-always-moving-pre-schooler-have-adhd/feed/0Keep ‘Em Healthy When You Hit The Roadhttp://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/keep-em-healthy-when-you-hit-the-road/
http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/keep-em-healthy-when-you-hit-the-road/#respondThu, 06 Jul 2017 08:00:18 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=22826Family vacations offer important together time and priceless memories for you and your gang, but don’t let your summer trip get derailed by unexpected illness.

1. Do your homework. Know where you’re headed and be aware of regional risks that could lay you low. If you’re traveling overseas check to see if kids need vaccines or medicines to protect against endemic illness. Know which foods to avoid (especially street vendor stuff). Check out the CDC website online or call your doctor for referral to a travel clinic. Don’t depend on word of mouth from friends and family whose information may be out of date.

2. Fly smart. It’s no joke — air travel is one of the surest ways to come down with a cold or worse, and it’s not recirculating air that’s the culprit. Microbes live for hours to days, and almost everything on board has been touched by lots of big and little hands before you. No one’s wiping those drop-down trays with Purell, I guarrantee it, so bring along your own sanitizing wipes and give surfaces a few swipes as you buckle up. Don’t forget my secret weapon — wash hands often for as long as it takes to sing the birthday song!

3. Don’t forget the summer basics. Too much sun, an accidental run-in with poison ivy or oak, or overdoing it in hot weather may not seem like a big deal, but they can mess up a vacation before you can say DISNEYWORLD. Use plenty of sunscreen, watch exposure, and hydrate. Stay on top of new rules about sunscreen labeling and the dangers of portable kiddie pools. No one wants to be stuck in the hotel room with a kiddo recovering from heat stroke when you could be out having fun.

4. Avoid motion sickness. That scenic drive up the mountain or a sunset sail can turn sour pretty quickly with a little barfer on board. Gear up with preventive wristbands (they really do work) or OTC non-drowsy Bonine and start at least 30 minutes before launch time to maximize effectiveness.

5. Bring supplies. Know your kiddo’s tendencies and be prepared. If Susie is a sitting duck for swimmer’s ear, ask your doc for a prescription to bring along just in case. If Junior gets stopped up whenever he eats junk food, pack a natural stool softener to help move things along.

6. Expect the unexpected. Map out where to go in case of emergency once you’re at your destination. Know where the nearest ER or urgent care clinic is located. Many hotels have arrangements with local doctors, some will even make house calls to your room. Better to know them and not need them, than to need them and not know them.

Happy Travels!

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2017/07/keep-em-healthy-when-you-hit-the-road/feed/0Trade Ya!http://mamasoncall.com/2016/12/trade-ya/
http://mamasoncall.com/2016/12/trade-ya/#commentsTue, 27 Dec 2016 08:00:38 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=22019Throughout the early parenting years two things are always in short supply: time and money. But there’s one other thing that you always have plenty of: exhaustion.

Those munchkins are definitely cute and being a mom is incredibly fun and satisfying. And we wouldn’t trade it for the world. But let’s be honest, most days it’s hard to figure out how to get everything (or anything) done.

Moms are all in the same boat with this one. But you might not know that there is a way to lighten your load and pick up your spirits at the same time. It’s easy — just find a friend from the neighborhood and work out a trade.

When my brood was young, I had a neighbor with kids around the same age. We both felt bogged down by the endless trips to the grocery store and the free-for-all that often accompanied our efforts to get a meal on the table each night.

So we decided to help each other out by cooking dinner for each other’s families once a week. I would make double of whatever I was cooking one night and bring half to her around suppertime and she would do the same on another night.

We kept the meals simple and family friendly and it made the weekly cooking thing a lot more fun and the food more interesting, too. The kids got into the action as well, and loved helping with the prep work and packing everything up to bring to our neighbors.

Then, because the dinner thing worked so well, we decided to expand our sharing to date night, too. No, we didn’t share each other’s husbands, but we did trade babysitting duties once a month. Suddenly, that all important night out didn’t seem like such an expensive, difficult thing to negotiate.

In fact, it worked like magic. Having that plan in place not only guaranteed us each a kid-free night out with our spouse, it also allowed us to be able to go in peace, knowing that our children were with an adult who they knew and we trusted.

This little pearl can change your life in a small but powerful way by giving you some all-important support. Trading dinners and babysitting not only relieved me of some of the tedium and expense that goes hand-in-hand with raising kids, it also brought me closer to my friend and helped to cement our friendship, which continues to this day even though we live many, many miles away from each other.

So try it out. Start with a plan to trade dinners once a week for a month and see how it goes. If it works, you can keep it going and add the babysitting piece, too.

If it’s a flop, you can just say you are too disorganized to make the commitment. Either way, you have nothing to lose and lots to gain.

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2016/12/trade-ya/feed/15 Things Moms Do That Make Every Therapist Cringehttp://mamasoncall.com/2016/12/5-things-moms-do-that-make-every-therapist-cringe/
http://mamasoncall.com/2016/12/5-things-moms-do-that-make-every-therapist-cringe/#commentsTue, 27 Dec 2016 08:00:30 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=9747“Parenting.” The word alone is enough to make even the bravest among us shake a little in our Uggs. It’s a job that can and does intimidate every single person who ever took it on. It’s a roller coaster ride with no seat belts and sometimes we feel like we’re just one surprise turn away from being tossed out altogether.

Sometimes, when things are humming along, we feel absolutely sure of ourselves and walk around with the smug smile of self-satisfaction. On those glorious days we might even get pumped up enough to think we deserve an award for the great job we’re doing, or at least a talk show offer.

Then there are those other, horrible days when we’re down-in-the-dumps questioning whether we even deserve to be called a mom. That’s when we hear that nasty, self-sabotaging voice taunting us: “You’re not cut out for this! You suck! Why don’t you know what you’re doing?”

Most of us probably see-saw back and forth between both of those experiences, depending on the day, and the particular child involved. The goal, as impossible as it might sound, is to establish a certain balance in how we take it all in so we don’t feel like our sanity and sense of self hinges on whether our so-called parenting skills are working that day or not.

There is definitely an art involved in this crazy job that develops with time and experience. But parenting smarts can be learned and practiced, too. Unfortunately though, it’s pretty much on-the-job training for most of us and we all trip into some bad habits from time to time.

But I know you’re trying hard to get it right. So I’m going to let you in on a few of the things that make every child and family therapist cringe so you can avoid them at all costs. Many parents don’t know how inappropriate or even damaging these behaviors are. And most would stop them immediately, if they did.

So here is your heads-up. Cut out these no-no’s and you’ll be much closer to being the kind of parent you want to be.

1. Talking about your child’s problems or making hurtful remarks about him while he’s standing right there: “He’s so annoying.” “He’s the laziest kid I’ve ever met.” “She’s not too bright.” “I can’t believe how scared he was. He’s such a baby!”

Some parents don’t seem to realize that their children can see the snickers on their faces and hear the less-than-flattering comments that come out of their mouths. And those words, and looks, go straight to their hearts and can leave lasting scars. Your words and what you think about them are very, very important and will influence how they view themselves — not just today, but for the rest of their lives. So if you want them to be happy and successful, watch your mouth!

A twist on this scenario is when a parent insults the other parent and the child in the same sentence: “He’s just like his father — no self-control.” This one impacts his view of himself and makes him ashamed of his father, too. It also models for him how to treat his own spouse one day.

2. Discussing frightening events in front of a child:

“I was totally freaked out, so I called the police and told them that there was a suspicious car parked out in front and I was afraid it might be a kidnapper because a child in the next town was approached by someone in a similar car on his way home from school. My kids are not going outside at all until they find that weirdo.”

When a scary thing happens to you or your children, it’s important to talk to them about it while being very mindful of your role as comforter. The things that you say should be directed very purposefully towards reducing their fears and helping them to move on feeling strong and reassured. You do not want to scare them, especially about things that are completely out of their control.

But some parents discuss the details of the troubling event openly with other adults while their kids are around and end up further traumatizing them. Following the events of 911 in New York I saw this happen over and over again. Parents (and store clerks, teachers, bus drivers etc.) talked about the disaster, the terrorist threat, and all their fears very dramatically while the children stared up at them wide-eyed and terrified. NOT COOL!

Remember that your job is to protect your kids (and all kids) from physical and emotional harm. Process your concerns out of ear shot of your children (or any children) with another adult. Do not ever assume that they are not listening because they are busy doing their homework or playing on the floor with their toys. If your voice sounds at all stressed, they will be all ears.

3. Using any kind of physical violence, from a yank to a slap to a swat to control behavior.

Seeing parents engage in these behaviors always makes me crazy. This also goes for name calling. It is never appropriate and if you find that you rely on physical force, humiliation or verbal abuse to get your child to behave, find a parenting class fast — you’re headed for disaster. There’s no shame in asking for help, you simply need some new strategies that will work without hurting your child or damaging your relationship with her. We tend to repeat what was done to us and you can be the hero who breaks the dysfunctional patterns in your family. How amazing would that be??

4. Ignoring a child’s pleas for attention and then suddenly yelling at her.

I realize that you are trying to have a life and that being a parent is a 24/7 job that often feels like a 25/7 job. Still, it’s a big part of your job description to work on being patient and responding to your child when she talks to you. I’m not talking about a child who is in a whiny mood and won’t stop even though you have answered her several times.

This is about those other times when you are preoccupied (iphone? computer? T.V.?) or talking to someone else and your child needs but cannot seem to get your attention. “Mommy?” “Mommy?” “Mommy?” “Mommy?” No response until you suddenly decide you’ve had it and lash out at her verbally (or physically): “STOP IT! I’M TALKING!”

A child should not have to work so hard to get a parent to listen. And a reasonable person cannot simply ignore her and then suddenly pounce. It’s just not fair.

5. Answering for her or correcting her in mid-sentence:

“Hey Danny! How’s first grade? How do you like your teacher?” I asked this capable young man.

“Oh, he loves her! She’s great and we’re so lucky we got her” said Danny’s mom as he looked away.

This one is somewhat more benign than the others and I (and everyone I know) have to admit to occasionally stumbling into it myself. But it’s important to catch yourself when you do it and stop! Our child needs to be given the opportunity to learn how to express himself and answer questions about his life without prompting or help (unless of course he really needs it). It is one of the most important ways that he works to become independent and self-assured.

As parents we tend to rush in to fill the awkward gaps in our children’s conversations with others but we don’t need to. When she is asked a question, even if she’s three, give her a chance to come up with an answer. Take a break and let her figure it out. No one’s really expecting a brilliant answer here. Plus, she may be smarter than you think.

And always tread carefully when it comes to correcting him while he’s talking. Be gentle and sensitive as to how you go about this. He is learning to feel comfortable about sharing his thoughts and ideas. Sometimes that feels scary. And if he is afraid that you will interrupt him to let everyone know that he has made a mistake it will be even scarier.

He’s also learning how to correct others by watching and listening to how you do it, and nobody likes a know-it-all or a buttinski do they? Help us all out by doing your best not to create another one.

So, go ahead mamas and see if you can avoid or eliminate these “deadly five” from your parenting skill set. Your relationships with your kids will improve, they will gain self confidence and self respect and you will feel much calmer, too. Funny how it works that way.

]]>http://mamasoncall.com/2016/12/5-things-moms-do-that-make-every-therapist-cringe/feed/1KidChores – The Gift That Keeps on Givinghttp://mamasoncall.com/2016/10/kidchores-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/
http://mamasoncall.com/2016/10/kidchores-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/#respondThu, 06 Oct 2016 16:40:11 +0000http://mamasoncall.com/?p=1364All moms know that sometimes — well, maybe most of the time — it’s easier to do a household task yourself than to ask your child to help out. Whether it’s folding laundry or loading the dishwasher, many of us who worship efficiency and a job well done find ourselves falling for that old saw “if you want it done right, do it yourself”.

But wait. STOP. When we jump in and do it all we not only give ourselves a massive workload, we rob our kids of the tremendous satisfaction and sense of accomplishment that comes with having a job and getting it done. Oh, I know what you’re thinking ’cause I’ve been there — still am some days. “She’ll whine. She’ll complain. I’ll have to nag her to pick up her shoes, take out the trash, feed the dog, fill-in-the-blank. I’m in a hurry, and can just get it done in a quarter of the time it takes to cajole her into it.”

Sure you can, but do you want to set up the expectation that you’ll ALWAYS do it? That you won’t ask because it’s too hard or frustrating or maddening? If we behave like the clean-up crew, we can’t blame our kids for treating us like them. And it’s a sure-fire way to end up feeling resentful and unappreciated — one of those Achilles heels of motherhood.

So consider this: Put on your Mary Poppins hat and start early. Make helping out something fun and cool that the kids look forward to. There are lots of creative ways to do it. Here are a few ideas.

Kids as young as 3 can match socks. Give them a basket full out of the dryer and see how many pairs they can make. Keep score … like 2 points for each correct pair, 1 point for pairs that don’t quite make it (it’s important to reward the effort). If you like, you can reward a total point number with something they love, or if you’re ethically opposed to anything that even smells like a bribe, keep a chart on the wall that shows the constant rise of total points — that’s self-reinforcing. As a variation, time how long it takes to polish off the basket. Racing the clock is a sure winner.

Teach them to sweep. Kids love a broom almost as much as a rake (who didn’t like to rake leaves as a kid??). There’s a reason toy manufacturers sell kid versions. See how much gunk can end up in the pile at the end. Admire it.

Have them separate the recyclables. This activity includes more great lessons than I can count. Identifying materials, reading that little triangle symbol with the number inside, grouping like items. The incentive should match the age group. Little ones will enjoy counting which category (paper, plastic, glass) contains the most. Older ones may be motivated by saving up the bottles and cans until you have enough to sell back at the recycling center.

I’m sure by now your mind is humming with ideas. The point is to start early, make it fun, and let your kids know that it’s how a family works. They’ll love the feeling they get knowing that YOU depend on THEM, too.